Free Bamboo and Lace by Lori Wick

Lily.

    â€œSo what did you do today, Pete?” the little boy’s uncle asked.
    â€œI played and watched videos with Lily and CeCe. Lily likes Pooh Bear.”
    â€œShe has good taste.”
    â€œLily and I like Tigger too.”
    â€œWell!” Ashton said, his voice managing to sound matter-of-fact and comical all at the same time. “Who doesn’t like Tigger?”
    â€œRabbit,” Peter told him, and Lily heard Ashton hoot with laughter.
    â€œHow’s it going?” Gabe came on the scene just then, a stack of dishes in his hands.
    â€œWe’re almost done with these pots,” Ashton filled him in. “Who’s doing plates?”
    â€œI think Evan. I’m drying. Hey, Lily?”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œCould you please look at me, Lily?” Gabe requested for the first time. He wanted to shake his head all over again at how busy he had been.
    â€œWhen I talked to Jeff about your staying here,” he said once eye contact had been made, “I told him we would teach you to swim and do all that stuff. Did he tell you about that?”
    â€œYes, he did.”
    â€œGood. Tomorrow after lunch, Ashton is going to teach you to swim.”
    Lily barely managed to nod.
    â€œDoes that work for you?”
    â€œCertainly. Whatever you wish.”
    It was not the reply Gabe hoped for. How did he explain to Lily that she could go home if she wanted to without sounding like he wanted her to leave? Gabe had no clue. Evan had told him some of the things that Bailey had said to Lily on Sunday, and he feared that adding his own voice would make it sound as though they wanted her gone.
    â€œDo you have a swimsuit?” he asked, sticking to more practical matters.
    â€œYes, I do.”
    â€œOkay then, that’s all set.”
    â€œDo you know how to get to the pool, Lily?” Ashton asked.
    â€œI don’t think I do,” Lily answered, realizing not for the first time how little she had been outdoors.
    â€œOkay. I’ll just meet you here tomorrow at 12:30. The beach towels are in that linen closet outside the bathroom door.”
    â€œOkay.”
    Lily’s eyes had already gone back to the work she was doing, so the brothers were able to exchange a glance.
    They were still asking themselves Bailey’s question from Sunday afternoon: Should Lily have returned to Kashien?

    Lily’s whole body trembled as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her brother had told her the suit was very modest and that she looked nice, but it hadn’t helped. So much of her showed! She wasn’t used to her legs being exposed above the knee, or her upper arms, not to mention the suit fit like a second skin. The clothing she wore in Kashien was long and loose-fitting. Even most of the clothing that Jeff had bought for her tended to be along that line. There were some shorts, but Lily had shied away from them.
    But time was creeping up on her. The clock on the dresser said 12:28. Taking a deep breath, she made herself walk to the door and out into the hall. The brightly colored towel from the linen closet was in her hand only a moment before she realized she could wrap it around herself. Her heart still pounded in her chest as she walked down the stairs, but at least most of her was covered.
    â€œLilyee.” Celia said her version of their guest’s name as soon as she walked in the door, and Bailey turned to see her.
    â€œAre you all set?”
    â€œI think so,” Lily answered, but she was on her way over to Celia, who was finishing her lunch at the table.
    â€œYou missed this piece,” Lily said to the little girl as she pushed a scrap of bread into view.
    Celia stuffed it in her mouth and smiled at Lily. Lily’s heart did a little flip-flop.
    â€œWhere is Peter?”
    â€œHe’s eating Daddy today.”
    Lily knew there was a translation somewhere for that statement, but she didn’t try to find it. Indeed, there was no